Fitness expert Jillian Michaels has slammed the weight loss drug Ozempic after revealing she has convinced multiple friends to quit the medication that she claims makes people feel ‘awful.’
The celebrity trainer, 48, is known for her fit and trim figure, and has now offered up her opinion on the drug that has been hailed as a magic bullet for shedding fat.
In an interview with People, Jillian explained Ozempic, which is prescribed to treat obesity and type 2 diabetes, should be avoided at all costs.
The strength coach added that she persuaded several of her friends to ditch the drug because its results are ‘not long lasting.’
Fitness expert Jillian Michaels has slammed the weight loss drug Ozempic after revealing she has convinced multiple friends to quit the medication
Ozempic is a type 2 diabetes treatment that is used off-label as a weight loss drug (stock image)
She revealed that she has ‘taken at least eight’ friends off of Ozempic, before noting that her loved ones were experiencing serious side effects while on the medication.
‘They’re getting heart palpitations, they’re nauseous, they feel like s***. They feel so awful that it’s motivated them to reverse their type 2 diabetes,’ she said.
Ozempic is a medication that has been soaring in sales due to its ability to help you lose weight.
It is taken once a week by injection in the thigh, stomach or arm. And while it is intended for those who suffer from obesity or type 2 diabetes, it is often taken as a weight loss drug.
Jillian emphasized her dislike of the drug by noting that once you stop taking the medication you are at risk of gaining rebound weight.
She explained that due the ‘rebound effect,’ those who use Ozempic are ‘not gaining anything.’
‘You get off the drug in a year and go all the way back. You’ve not learned anything. You’ve not built any physical strength or endurance. You haven’t learned how to eat healthy,’ she told People.
The fitness trainer warned people to do their research on the drug and explained that the results ‘are not lasting.’
Instead of injecting themselves with the drug, Jillian suggests those looking to lose weight begin walking 10,000 steps a day and remove processed sugar and flour from their diets.
According to Ozempic.com, the side effects of the drug include: nausea, diarrhea, stomach (abdominal) pain, vomiting and constipation.
Both Ozempic and its sister drug Wegovy have been hailed as magic bullets for obesity and their ability to melt fat away within a matter of weeks.
Ozempic was first approved by the FDA as a medication for type 2 diabetes in 2017, while Wegovy was approved by the FDA as a weight management treatment in 2021.
The drugs have taken the world by storm since they came out, with both celebrities and patients gushing over its ability to decrease fat.
The strength coach added that she persuaded several of her friends to ditch the drug because its results are ‘not long lasting’
Influencer Remi Bader has detailed how she gained ‘double the weight back’ and grappled with binge eating again after getting off the ‘trendy’ new diet drug
It’s injected into the stomach, thigh or arm and helps to suppress a person’s appetite – making it an an easy and quick solution to weight loss.
Ozempic has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for type two diabetes treatment, which means its use as a weight loss drug is off-label.
The treatment totals around $950 a month, but since its weight loss effects are off-label, insurance is unlikely to cover the cost.
Despite the price, the treatment has gained extreme popularity causing the FDA adding both Ozempic and Wegovy to its drug shortage list, making it more difficult for those struggling with diabetes to receive treatment.
Everyone from Hollywood stars to tech moguls are turning to the injectable drug to stay slim, with Elon Musk (seen in August 2022) crediting the drug in October for his recent weight loss
However, the fitness trainer isn’t the first to criticize the drug.
TikTok star Remi Bader, 27, has been transparent about her use with the drug and detailed how she ‘gained double the weight’ and struggled with binge eating after stopping the treatment.
She described her struggles getting off the medication after a doctor instructed her to begin taking it for ‘actual health issues’ in an interview with Amanda Hirsch on the Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast.
Bader, who sought treatment for binge eating disorder last year, claimed her binging ‘got so much worse’ after she stopped taking the diabetes drug Ozempic.
And while some have criticized it, many celebrities have also gushed over the drug, with tech mogul Elon Musk crediting the miracle fat-burning bullet for his body transformation and actor Jeremy Clarkson also claiming he used the drug.
And since the drug has seen so many shortages, celebrities are dropping as much as $1,500 a month on the fat-buster, making it near impossible for those to receive the treatment they desperately need.
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk